Samaj Parivarthana Samudaya president and social activist S.R. Hiremath has accused Bellary City MLA Somashekhar Reddy of brokering the cash-for bail scam deal involving former AP CBI judge T. Pattabhirama Rao and former Karnataka minister Janardhan Reddy. Addressing media persons here on Thursday, Mr Hiremath urged the Chief Minister to dismiss the legislator from the post of Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) chairman.
“The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has filed a FIR against eight people including MLAs Somashekhar Reddy and T.H. Suresh Babu who are the kingpins in the scam. The CM should initiate legal action against them. The Reddy brothers have not paid royalty to the tune of Rs 800 crore due to the state exchequer for the mining activity they undertook”, he said.
Mr Hiremath said he was focussing on the mining scam during former CM B.S. Yeddyurappa’s tenure when 71 lakh metric tonnes of iron ore was allegedly illegally exported. The officials involved in this remain free, he said. He also alleged that Janardhan Reddy had operated from jail to get several legislators and government officials help him.